Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin might meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul. The city has already hosted three rounds of direct talks between the two sides, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
“Zelensky and Putin may hold a meeting in Istanbul. Why not?” Yilmaz said, recalling President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s efforts to mediate in the conflict. He added that Erdogan “is a leader who enjoys the confidence of both sides. Concrete results were achieved on the Black Sea grain initiative and prisoner exchanges. Turkey has always been an alternative venue for resolving the conflict.”